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Got Gitika back from the Zoo today, she is still a little grouchy, looks like I have to get a Tetanus  shot. So quarantine for 16 weeks! Its going to be tough, still as long as I cover her Workshops and blog I see no major problem.

She will be properly assessed by the Doctor tomorrow, but methinks the Zoo was a simple trigger that pushed her over the proverbial edge.

Mr P feeding the birdies this morning.

Everything was fine at first we looked at the Aquarium then the insect house and it was only when we had lunch that I noticed her dribbling more than usual. Then after lunch while wondering through the Gorilla Kingdom that she bolted over the ” moat” and was last seen swinging from an old tyre screaming “give me the note”!

Anyway she is now heavily sedated holding a organic fruit mix, muttering stuff about Soprano’s.

Anyway here are a selection of pics of me feeding the birds in the snow this morning then I am off to practice some singy acapulco stuff for the Bishopgate choir tomorrow. Might add a little something from my own repertoire ( Holidays in the sun by J.Lydon)

SONG OF YOUR DAY – Amusement Parks on Fire – Solera La Reina

One of my favourite bands Amusement parks on fire hail from Nottingham England famous for inventing the white stiletto and Torville and Dean.

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So yesterday at the zoo while I was snapping away with my ever dented small Lumix, Mr P. is busily snapping away with his big lense. he ooo-ed and ah-ed about my photos and then I saw his! Drat! They are magnificent. We both took a few picture of the ‘common’ starlings which had broken into the Snowdon Aviary, and just about taken over.
I think it is a shame that we tend to dwell on the ‘common’ bit of their name and not the ‘star’ bit as they are wonderful looking birds, and we should be grateful that there are  enough of them  around to still class them as ‘common’, unless they have some nasty habits I don’t know about, like belching and showing their underwear in public.I have always wanted to see one of those great big starling waves. Huge flocks of more than a million Starlings are observed just before sunset in spring in southwestern Jutland Denmark. There they gather in March until northern Scandinavian birds leave for their breeding ranges by mid-April. Their flocking creates 

complex shapes against the sky, a phenomenon known locally as sort sol (“Black Sun”).(wiki)

So it looks like Jutland in March/April would be the place to go. Ah – at last! something for the (before I kick the) bucket list. Thanks for the photos Mr. P. x x x x x

SONG OF THE DAY– Elbow – Starlings

Yey!!!!! ‘then I’m spinning and I’m diving like a cloud of starlings’ what a poet! I am so chuffed that I found a song with the title and it is a beautiful song, Elbow are such a great band – so much heart and down to earth poetical reality in their lyrics.

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So cool if you are a member of the zoo, especially  on a bank holiday as you just ride on by the

queues, and today they did not seems to be moving…It is now £18.50 to visit the zoo! If you are a member your yearly fee is the same as going 4 times a year, or the price of half a pint of cheap beer a week.

It means you can go anytime, nip in for a quick commune with the tropical birds, have a cuppa (don’t like the food there, it is still a bit motorway cafe for my liking)  and get discounts on your chips in the caff and plastic snakes in the gift shop, so for us living quite near it is worth it…if we remember to go. We have been twice since last april…woops. Today was a blinding day to go. The sun was out, the light was amazing,  there were no crocodiles lines of school kids who just wanted to eat their sandwiches and play on the swings – the zoo was really quite as everyone seemed to be  waiting  in the queue (?) We had a really nice wander  along the canal from Camden Lock first  which seemed to be pretty full of tourists, but the canal walk was quiet – passed an entrance of Regents

Park and then into the zoo. We had a  long leisurely saunter round  and took loads of rubbish photos of  empty cages and blurry animals, but there were a few good shots. The best bit of all was the aviary, which we usually don’t go to, as it is full of local starlings who have  made the choice to get in the cage from the big free outside world – possibly the grub is better! In the sunlight  they are very photogenic too. Right that is enough clean fun for one day, I have songs to sing and videos to make. I have not even told you about my amazing ride home through the centre of London just before midnight on new years eve….another day.

SONG OF THE DAY – Horse with No Name – America – driftwood sculpture by Heather Jansch 

I have posted this song before, but found this video of amazing driftwood animals and had to post it.

 and incase you missed my video from yesterday….not that I am crowing or anything.

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A Chinese Robin I saw in London Zoo last week. Particularly fond of the bird house there and now they have an amazing clock outside that does marvellous birdy, clockwork things every hour. 

SONG OF THE DAY

Sweet Honey in the Rock are the most wonderful women’s  acapella group. I first saw them in 1987 at the Albert Hall – my Dad treated me, I went with Mickey. I have see them since. Their songs, politics and philosophy of life is an inspiration.